Coming Home
by Sabrina Lonewalker
Summary: In this AU, Grace is attending a Medical conference in New York City on a particular September day. In the midst of the ensuing chaos and death, the one man she loves finds her again and finally, he reveals his true feelings for her.


Coming Home

by

Sabrina Lonewalker

Grace Holloway was attending a Medical convention in New York City that fateful September morning in 2001, She had left her hotel early to get a cup of coffee at a nearby Starbucks and sit on the patio to read her paper. The New York Times was full of the elections being held that day, the beginning of school and the unusually clear weather.

She heard the jet go overhead and looked up, wondering why it was flying so low in the sky. A few horrifying seconds later, she had her answer as the jet intentionally plowed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. She sat there in shock, her mouth open like the rest of the people around her.

Then, the physician in her took over. She got to her feet and headed to the nearest hospital, taking a cab. As soon as she arrived, she met with the Chief of Staff and explained who she was. She went to work immediately. Fifteen minutes later the patients began coming in. She went to work, treating whatever injuries there were at the time. Then, she found out the second tower had been hit. She sagged against the wall at the news then, went right back to work.

Then, they heard, both towers had collapsed. Everything stopped in that moment, everything. Grace was having trouble concentrating but, she forced herself to go back to work. People needed her. She barely registered where she was or what time it was when the flood of patients became a trickle. The ones that ripped her heart apart were the children, some not knowing where their parents were, others too injured to care. A few they lost after they were brought in.

It was five o'clock the next morning before Grace could finally rest. She wandered outside and saw the destruction. It was too much for her physician's mind to take in and she started walking. She didn't know what direction she was going in and right now, she didn't care. She was still in shock. She walked it seemed forever and finally stopped.

She looked around at the rubble, the dust. What hit her the hardest though, was the utter silence. In a city known for it's hustle and bustle the silence was unnerving. Then a totally unexpected sound was heard, a wheezing, groaning sound that she remembered hearing almost three years earlier. A blue police call box came into view. She just stared as the door opened and her Victorian Gentleman stepped out.

He looked the same as she remembered, the shoulder length reddish brown hair, the dark apple green frock coat, the silver colored waistcoat and ascot. His eyes were the same, soft blue she remembered. Then, she spoke, "You found me?" He looked up, his smile lighting his expressive face. "Grace, what are you doing..." he looked around. "Oh no, no. You weren't supposed to be here, not today."

She was surprised. "I was at Starbucks near the hotel when the first plane hit. I went to the nearest hospital to volunteer. We finished about an hour ago. I just had to walk to get away from the crying, the death, the pain." She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. The next thing she knew, he had her in his arms, pillowing her head on his shoulder. She realized the irony, here they were in the middle of the worst destruction ever to happen on American soil and all she could think about was that he had found her again.

Then, she pulled back and looked into those eyes. "What do you mean I wasn't supposed to be here? This conference had been scheduled for months." The Doctor looked at her, "You came at the last minute, didn't you?" She stepped back. "Yes, I got here two days early since Marlena couldn't come. She gave me her plane ticket and hotel reseveration." The Doctor listened carefully and smiled. "Good, then what the TARDIS showed me was what could have been."

Grace looked at him and then, he led her into the TARDIS, closed the doors and they departed. "You need to get away from all of this," He said as he manipulated the controls. Grace looked at him, "Tell me," She said softly. He looked away, his eyes sad and she touched his shoulder. He sighed then turned to look at her fully. "The TARDIS showed me the disturbance in the timeline. Let me ask you this, Grace. Were you coming to New York anyway?"

Grace's eyes widened. "Yes, I was going to be here anyway to meet an old friend from Medical school. That's why I came in early. We went to a show Saturday night and since the conference started on Monday, I just stayed over. She drove home." The Doctor's expresssion was troubled. "When would you have gone home if you hadn't been attending the conference?" Grace looked at him, "This morning, I would have caught..." The words caught in her throat, "Oh, God, I would have been on the first plane to hit the South Tower."

Her legs gave way and she sagged as the Doctor caught her, pulling her tight, burying his face in her shoulder as his body shook. She knew, he was crying. "I almost lost you again, my love," he mummured against her ear. She held onto him like a lifeline. "Oh my love," she whispered, "We came so close." She trembled at the realization of how close she had come. Then, she looked into his eyes, haunted by the knowledge that he had almost lost her for a second time.

"Why, was I supposed to die?" His eyes looked haunted, "I don't know, Grace. All I know is what TARDIS showed me. I had to find you, I couldn't let it happen, not to you." She nodded, "So, you crossed timelines to find me?" He turned to look at her and she drew back at the look in his eyes, "I would go to the ends of the Universe to find you."

She hugged him as he held her tightly, his face buried in her hair. "I love you, Grace Holloway. I asked you once before to come with me. I ask you again, will you travel with me, will you," He went down on one knee, "Will you marry me, Grace Holloway?" He held out a small box and there were tears in her eyes. "You want to marry me?" She asked softly. He nodded, tears sparkling in his own blue eyes.

He opened the box and she gasped, it was the most exquisite diamond she had ever seen. "Are you sure?" She asked, "You told me once, in the beginning, that you couldn't spend the rest of your life with me." He nodded, "I know, my Grace but, you can spend the rest of your life with me, if you want to." Grace smiled through her tears and nodded, "Of course I'll marry you. Out of all of this chaos and death, I somehow got you. Ironic, isn't it?"

He slipped the ring on her finger, rose to his feet and kissed her, leaving no doubt as to how he felt about her. She lost herself in his arms and when she took in her surroundings, they were in his room. She looked into those blue eyes and knew that after everything that had happened, she was finally where she belonged, she was home.

The End


End file.
